Discussion of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

Q2. Outline and discuss the four noble truths: is the Buddhist view of existence optimistic or pessimistic?

The question of the Buddhist view of existence being optimistic or pessimistic is one which is many have an opinion on. It could be said that the four noble truths provide the views of the Buddha in the way that life is led and more importantly, should be led. Certainly, the end goal is clearly optimistic, the attainment of spiritual enlightenment, or nirvana. However, the Buddhist view of life as we lead it is often deemed pessimistic as it is so concerned with suffering. As there is more than one school of thought to, "is the Buddhist view of existence of optimistic or pessimistic?" our understanding of these truths is crucial to the answer. The first noble truth is the full understanding of suffering. In an obvious way, people are aware of suffering and know when they have unpleasant sensations such as hunger, cold, or sickness. However, the first noble truth includes "awareness of all the ramifications of suffering because it encompasses the very nature and essence of suffering" (Gethin, 1998). This includes knowledge of the subtle as well as the obvious aspects of suffering. The obvious aspect of suffering is immediate pain or difficulty in the moment. Subtle suffering is more difficult to understand because it begins with happiness. In that respect it might be considered a "pessimistic" view that happiness leads to suffering. However, it is a fundamental Buddhist belief that the "very nature of happiness must change because it is impermanent." (Gethin, 1998). To non-  Buddhists situations that might give one greatest happiness may be those which are the most actively desired and pursued e.g. love marriage and children. However, the need to maintain this happiness makes the happiness itself a suffering in Buddhist terms. If a sufferer is not aware of his suffering, s/he will never have the motivation to eliminate it and will continue to suffer. On the other hand if one becomes aware of suffering, one may be able to overcome it. In the same sense with the more subtle forms of suffering, if a person is happy and becomes aware and accepts that the happiness automatically includes the seed of suffering, then s/he will be much less inclined to become involved in the attachment to this happiness. One will then think. And so the first truth is that one should be aware of suffering. Once one has a "very clear picture of the nature of suffering, one can really begin to avoid such suffering" (Sumedha, 2001). Of course, it would be reasonable to assume that everyone wants to avoid suffering and to emerge from suffering, but to accomplish this one needs to be absolutely clear about its nature.

When one becomes aware that "the nature of day-to-day existence is suffering" (Gethin, 1998), one doesn't have to be miserable with the thought suffering will always be present because the Buddha entered the world, his teachings describe the means by which suffering can be ended. The message is in fact optimistic. No one needs to endure suffering and we can, in fact, be happy. It is believed that even though one can not immediately emerge from suffering by practising the Buddha's teachings, one can gradually eliminate suffering in this way, and move towards the state beyond which is liberation. This fact in itself has the power to make one happy, even before one has actually completely emerged from suffering. And also, through applying the Buddha's teachings, one can both be happy in the relative phase of ones progress and then at the end one will gain wisdom and liberation and be happy in the ultimate sense, as well. The first noble truth makes it clear that there is suffering. Once one knows what suffering is, one must eliminate that suffering. It is "not a question of eliminating the suffering itself, but of eliminating the causes of suffering" (Cush, 1994). Once one removes the causes of suffering, then automatically...

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

...The FourNobleTruthsBuddhism is a religion to about 300 million people around the world. Buddhism explains a purpose to life, it explains obvious injustice and inequality around the world, and it provides a code of practice or way of life that leads to true happiness. When you study Buddhism you’re studying yourself; the nature of your body, speech and mind. The main emphasis being on the nature of your mind and how it works in everyday life. The Buddha taught many things, but the basic concepts in Buddhism can be summed up by the FourNobleTruths the Noble Eightfold Path. These teachings are known to contain the essence of the Buddhist path, regardless of the tradition one follows.
The First NobleTruth is the existence of suffering. Birth is suffering; growth, decay, and death are suffering. According to the Buddha, whatever life we lead, it has the nature of some aspect of suffering. Even if we consider ourselves happy for a while, this happiness is brief by nature. This mean that at best, we can only find temporary happiness and pleasure in life. It is realistic rather than pessimistic because pessimism is expecting things to be bad. lnstead, Buddhism explains how suffering can be avoided and how we can be truly happy.
The Second NobleTruth...

...Part A – Describe the Buddha’s teaching on the nature and ending of Dukkha.
The FourNobleTruths, Ariya-sacca, form the essence of the Buddha’s very first sermon which was delivered to the five ascetics in a deer park in Benares, after he had become enlightened. This sermon was called Dharmachakra Sutra which translates as “setting in motion the wheel of Dharma”, which were the Buddha’s teachings. The FourNobleTruths are called truths because, as well as being believed, they can be experienced and directly understood as part of our daily life too.
The Buddha recognised that all beings caught up in the cycle of existence are subject to Dukkha, the first nobletruth. Dukkha is commonly translated as “suffering” but can also mean “pain”, “sorrow” and “misery”. The idea of the First NobleTruth relates to the extent of suffering and how it permeates our existence, affecting both the body and the mind. According to the Buddha, there are three kinds of suffering that exist in life. Dukkha-Dukkha, the first type, relates to the ordinary suffering we all experience throughout our existence such as birth, old age, sickness and death which are all obvious at first sight, just like the Buddha experienced with the Four Sights. The next type of suffering is Viparinama-Dukkha, the understanding of Dukkha being...

...Argument Evaluation
Written by
Liam Connors-Loid
3/10/2013
4 NobleTruths
The FourNobleTruths is very important teachings that Buddha made about 2,500 years ago. He made the FourNoble Truth’s to try to overcome self-centeredness and to potentially end all suffering. This paper will support Buddha’s ideas that all dissatisfaction from human beings comes from being greedy, possessive and selfish. Most people argue that some premises aren’t true in the FourNobleTruths because some believe you cannot change your ways of self-centeredness if you’ve been living that way for years. In reality everyone can change their ways and attitude for the greater good. If someone was to follow the Eightfold Path, meditate, and follow the ideas of Buddhism, they will absolutely be a better person with more understanding of your inter-self. Another main objection to Buddha’s basic teachings is that people suffer all the time due to pure coincidence and absolutely not from being selfish. This paper will thoroughly explain why being self-centered can directly causes you to suffer and overcoming this can end all suffering. The conclusion of the FourNobleTruths says you can root out egocentrism by following the eightfold path of behavior and thought which has helped thousands of...

...THE FOURNOBLETRUTHS
"Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you your self test and judge to be true."
-Buddha
The fournobletruths exemplify the essence of the teachings of Buddha. They represent the beginning of a long journey to inner peace, happiness, and most importantly an end to suffering. Seven weeks after the Buddha reached enlightenment at a place called Sarnath, in India, he gave his first teaching. This is referred to as setting the wheel of Dharma in motion. (Rahula 27). It was here where Buddha first spoke of the 4 nobletruths and solidified them as eternal parts of life.
The fournobletruths were presented as follows.
The First NobleTruth is suffering or dukkha. This includes physical, emotional and mental forms of suffering but can also be interpreted more widely as a feeling of dissatisfaction'. (Hanh 43)
The Second NobleTruth points to the origin of suffering, namely craving or tanha (literally thirst'). At its most simple, this relates to our constant...

...Mensah Jr.
Buddhism Paper
3/22/00
Siddharta Gautama was twenty-nine years of age when he abandoned his family to search for a means to bring to an end his and other's suffering. He studied meditation with many teachers. At the age of thirty-five, Siddharta Gautama sat down under the shade of a fig or bo tree to meditate; he determined to meditate until he received enlightenment. After seven weeks he received the Great Enlightenment: the FourNobleTruths and the Eight-fold Path. Henceforth he became known as the Buddha. This Middle Way is a psychological-philosophical insight into the cause and cure of suffering and evil.
In The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, Thich Nhat Hanh provides a citation from the Buddha, which gives insight into the cure of our distress.
"I teach only suffering and the transformation of suffering."
When we recognize and acknowledge our own suffering, the Buddha which means the Buddha in us will look at it, discover what has brought it about, and prescribe a course of action that can transform it into peace, joy, and liberation. Suffering is the means the Buddha used to liberate himself, and it is also the means by which we can become free.
(Thich Nhat Hanh 3)
The teachings of the Buddha revolve around this central tenant known as the "FourNobleTruths". The FourNobleTruths (and the...

...﻿
The FourNobleTruths are the basis of the Buddhist teachings. They are as follows:
1. Dukkha – the truth of suffering
a. Says that all existence is characterized by suffering and does not bring satisfaction. Everything is suffering: birth, sickness, death; not obtaining one’s desires; etc.
2. Samudaya – the truth of the origin of suffering
a. The cause of suffering is craving or desire (tanha), the thirst for sensual pleasure (trishna), for becoming and passing away. This craving binds beings to the cycle of existence. (Paticcasamuppada)
b. Paticcasamuppāda
i. States that all phenomena are arising together in a mutually interdependent web of cause and effect. The interdependence and mutual conditioning of phenomena is critical to Dharma, which makes liberation possible. The Buddha applied this general truth of causal interdependence to the problem of suffering.
3. Nirodha – the truth of the cessation of suffering
a. Through remainder-less elimination of craving, suffering can be brought to an end.
4. Magga – the path that leads out of suffering is the eightfold path
a. The truth of the path that leads to the cessation of suffering
b. Gives the eightfold path as the means for the ending of suffering.
The discovery of the fournobletruths by the Buddha constituted his actual enlightenment.
The...

...The Second NobleTruth - "Samudaya"
The Truth of the Origin or the Cause of Suffering
According to the philosophy of Buddhism is the Second NobleTruth : "Samudaya", the truth of the origin or the cause of suffering. Buddhists also believe that the origin of suffering is `attachment'.
The Second NobleTruth invites us to understand the principle, that the origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but it also encompasses ideas, and, in a greater sense, all objects of our perception. Perhaps it could be said that ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. Some of the reasons for suffering are, desire, passion, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and grasping. We create our own suffering through our egotistical craving and desires. Because the objects of our attachment are impermanent their loss maybe inevitable and so suffering will follow.
The Second NobleTruth has three aspects of attachment to desires. These three types of desire are the desire for sensual pleasure (kama tanha), the desire to become (bhava tanha) and the desire to get rid of (vibhava tanha).
It is human nature to want...

...Examine the framework of the FourNobleTruths
Sean Reece Grange
The FourNobleTruths are much like a doctor’s prescription; they are Buddha’s prescription for suffering. In the first two truths he diagnoses the problem of suffering, and identifies its cause. The third truth is the discovery of a cure, and the fourth nobletruth is the prescription as the Buddha sets out the Eightfold path to achieve a release from suffering. Suffering is a serious illness to Buddhist’s because it keeps us in Samsara, the cycle of birth, death and rebirth and prevents us from attaining enlightenment.
The first step in the Buddha’s medical process is to diagnose the problem, and this means identifying Dukkha. The first nobletruth is the truth of suffering. This is the recognition that suffering exists, and it affects us all in one form or another.
“There is suffering, Dukkha. Dukkha should be understood. Dukkha has been understood”. The Buddha on the three aspects of Dukkha- Sammyutta Nikava.
This quote reflects the attitude that the Buddha believes is necessary to deal with suffering. First we must recognise that suffering exists, but that it is not a part of us. By saying “I suffer” rather than “There is suffering” we separate the suffering from ourselves and make it a collective thing that each...